The Amish traditionally relied upon agriculture, but farming has become less profitable

Leaders of a tiny American Christian group, the Amish, have appealed to a US senate hearing on workplace safety for a change to child labour laws to allow teenagers to work in sawmills and woodworking shops.

Centuries-old Amish tradition allows teenagers to serve apprenticeships in sawmills and woodworking
shops, but the Labour Department is opposed to the idea because of safety concerns.

You try to teach them learning by doing and that is the way of the Lord

John Byler
Amish sawmill owner

US federal labour laws prohibit children under 16 from working in manufacturing operations such as sawmills and children under 18 from working in other occupations deemed hazardous.

Amish children only attend school until the age of 14 and the Amish want the law changed so that when their sons leave school they can legally work in family owned shops and learn the trade that will provide their livelihoods as adults.

Dangers

"You try to teach them learning by doing and that is the way of the Lord," said John Byler, a sawmill owner from Harrisville, Pennsylvania, who was fined $3,000 four years ago for employing teenagers.